1. Field
The present invention relates to voltage converters, and more particularly, to a direct-current (DC) to direct-current (DC) converters.
2. Background Information
Direct-current (DC) to direct-currents (DC) converters are well-known in the art. Such circuitry or devices are typically employed to convert from one DC voltage signal level to another DC voltage signal level. This may be useful in a variety of environments. A number of such converters are well-known. In one such converter, two input voltage sources provide energy where the energy available from each voltage source is limited. Typically, when it is desirable to convert energy produced by two voltage sources, two converters are employed. The output signals of these converters are typically coupled in parallel. Each of the two converters contains its own control circuit. The ratio between the two output powers produced is provided by a load sharing control circuit which contains a current sensing circuit and produces an error signal by comparing a signal proportional to the output current and a reference voltage. The load sharing control circuit amplifies the error signal and controls both converters so that their output currents follow a reference current level. To provide equivalence of the output power, a master-slave topology may be employed where the reference voltage represents a signal proportional to the master converter current. Such an approach is typically complex and, therefore, has an associated high cost with implementation. It would be desirable if a simpler and relatively cost effective approach to providing DC-to-DC conversion with two input voltage sources were available.